News - Prelature of Ayaviri - Bishop recalls the value of the Feast of Corpus Christi

Ayaviri, June 18, 2006 - In an emotional celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, the Bishop of Ayaviri, Kay Schmalhausen SCV recalled the feast's historic origin and its value for all the faithful.

The feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated for the first time in the Diocese of Liege, Belgium in 1246 and entered the Roman missal of the universal Church in the same (13th)) century. What caused Pope Urban IV in 1264 to officially establish the feast was an extraordinary event that occurred that year in Orvieto, Italy, near Bolsena, a place the Pope occasionally frequented.

While celebrating Mass, a bohemian priest who had strong doubts about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist saw drops of blood fall from the consecrated Host which stained the corporal which is currently venerated in the beautiful cathedral of Orvieto, built especially for this purpose.

Bishop Kay said in his homily that the institution of the sacrament of the Eucharist by the Lord Jesus contained four fundamental teachings: "its value as a sacrifice insofar as the repeated actualization of the sacrifice on Golgotha. The grain of wheat with which we make the hosts has been ground and cooked on the fire, the grapes with which we make the wine have been bathed in the sun and crushed by our feet. Jesus has been crushed by our sins and resurrecting has given us new life…; its value as real presence, since in a special way Jesus fulfills his promise to remain with us, a promise which we heard a few Sundays ago: "I will be with you until the end of the world"…; the teaching about the intimate communion with Him, since in receiving Communion we receive the Bread of Life, Christ Himself, converting our heart into a tabernacle so that he can stay with us…; and finally the gift of fraternal communion which grows among us since, as St. Paul teaches, having all received the same Bread, we are all brothers, members of one body, the Church."

He also highlighted how throughout the centuries the Church has known how to clearly recognize the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. "Adoration is that attitude with which we recognize that He is with us. Moreover we express that interior attitude with a visible gesture, such as is kneeling. It is the simple recognition that before us there is Someone greater than us; and knowing ourselves to be small before Him we nonetheless say to Him from our humility and littleness: "Stay with us, we love You, come and be with us". And the Lord answers us: "Here I am; I have come to accompany you, to be with you, to give Myself as food, to communicate my love to you, to give you my strength".

After the Eucharist, in the midst of songs, a beautiful procession with the faithful took place around the town square which concluded in the church with prayers and the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament.